This is like the funeral during the campfire in The Last Olympian, at the end of the book. The way Percy dies is explained at the end, during a super duper long flashback. Annabeth gets a little visit from someone unexpected.
Death, it's a funny thing. Well, not exactly in the comical sense. Everyone dies, but for some reason no one is prepared for when it happens. The people who love them are effected, and there is no do-overs. Some people live their life accepting their fate, that they will pass on. They may not know where they are going, but they know it's somewhere.
The worst thing about death is most people can't forget it. Annabeth remembered Percy's death very clearly. Not that she wanted to, of course, but she just couldn't get it out of her head. She recalled every detail.
The thing was, Annabeth didn't want to remember. Percy had made such an impact on her life, that she couldn't bear living without him. He was like a scar that would never go away. But she couldn't just not attend the funeral for all the campers that died in the great battle.
Annabeth forced herself to go. This was an event to focus on the campers lives and the impact they made. Not the death, not the sorrow. Anyway, Annabeth had to attend. She was the one anonymously chosen to speak about Percy.
Annabeth watched as they went through the names of the many campers who died. Michael Yew, Silena Beauregard, Ethan Nakamura and even Luke Castellan. Someone chosen would say a couple of nice things about them and their life and then their shroud was burned. Clarisse surprised everyone with a beautiful speech about Silena, and Hermes came to talk about Luke. Then it was Annabeth's turn.
As Annabeth walked up the steps to the podium to give her speech, she tried not to cry. She promised herself she wouldn't cry, but sometimes, promises were broken. She tried to keep her feelings from rushing out, but it was no use. Hot tears rolled down her naked face. Percy had always loved how she didn't wear makeup. The thought made her cry even more.
When she reached the podium, she extracted a folded piece of paper from her pocket, which contained what she had written down for her speech today. She tried her best to calm herself and took a deep breath. She looked out onto the crowd. She saw many faces. Some were familiar, some were not. None were smiling, for the only expressions she saw were of sadness.
Annabeth took another deep breath, and read off the paper. "Percy Jackson's death, was, to me, inevitable. He was always trying to save his friends that he never had time to care about himself. After all, that was his fatal flaw. She smiled bitterly as she remembered his selflessness and how it somehow always got him into trouble.
"He w-was a…" The crowd was silent as Annabeth trailed off in thought. This stupid paper wasn't helping to guide her. It wasn't what she wanted to say. Her love for Percy couldn't be captured on a piece of paper. Annabeth, who was always so cool and collected, suddenly decided to adlib.
Annabeth crumpled the paper in her hands, and tossed it aside. She spoke in a confident, loud voice. "I remember my first words to Percy when I first met him: "You drool when you sleep." Annabeth smiled. "I had no idea that he had the fate of Olympus in his hands. I had no idea I would grow to love this boy more than anything in the whole world.
Today was supposed to be a day of celebration, a day of peace, a day of victory. Instead, it was a day of mourning, bitterness, and sadness. No one could toast to their win when the person who made this day possible was, well, dead.
"Today, he proved himself worthy of the gods and saved Olympus, and humanity. He should be here right now with us, celebrating our victory."
'But he isn't,' she heard a voice inside her head say. It broke Annabeth confidence down with every word.
"I'm not sure how we are all going to live without Percy. I knew this day would come, but never did I think it would come so sudden... so soon. He told me we would grow old together... He told me so many... happy things. I was so stupid to think my life would be so easy. So stupid..."
Her eyes glazed over as she remembered seeing the blade of Kronos penetrate Percy's back. The small of his back, his one weak spot. She couldn't save him. 'There is no point to your life now that Percy's dead...'
"You're wrong..." Annabeth whispered. 'We can't forget Percy, especially now. He's the reason we are celebrating a victory today. Not a loss, a victory, and no one can change that.
"Of course he will be missed. We all know that. We just need to remember that he died for Olympus, the gods, and especially all of you, his friends. He will never be completely gone." Annabeth smiled and walked down from the steps and took her seat.
They burned Percy's beautiful shroud, with the other dead campers shrouds. It was adorned with long sea green silk and embroidered with a trident. It was just like the one they made the last time they thought he was dead. Except this time there was no doubt. He was really gone.
The funeral was soon over after that and Annabeth joined the crowds, talking about how they missed the deceased campers, and how grateful they were for this war to be over. The day grew old and the sun started to set.
Annabeth didn't feel as strong as she did at the end of her speech anymore. How was she going to live her life now that Percy was gone? Annabeth strayed from the campfire, trying to get away from everything. She reached the forest. She burst into tears as soon as she was far enough away from everyone. She sank to the ground, leaning against a tree. She remembered the moment Percy died...
Percy's sword was deflected by Kronos, and it skittered across the ground, and into the open fissure. Annabeth couldn't watch him die, so she decided to face Kronos herself. For Percy.
"STOP!" She yelled as she approached Kronos from behind. He whirled around to face her, and immediately slashed her with Backbiter, but she caught it with her dagger hilt. She stepped in closer and held him at a standstill. She had to get him to talk. She needed the real Luke.
"Luke," Annabeth said, gritting her teeth, "I understand now. You have to trust me."
Kronos roared in outrage. "Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away as I assume my true form!" Suddenly my arms started to feel weaker and "I began to lose my grip. I was going to lose this battle.
Kronos overpowered her. The dagger clattered out of her hand, and on to the floor. Annabeth was kicked to the floor and was overcome with despair, because she knew it was over, and she had no chance. Kronos raised his sword above her head.
Percy wasn't going to let that happen. The next thing Annabeth knew, Percy ran to her and tried to grab her dagger that was lying hopelessly on the floor, but Kronos was faster. Kronos kicked Percy so that he was lying face down on the ground next to her. Percy was on his hands and knees and tried to get up, but as he did... the unthinkable happened.
Kronos lunged for his weak spot with his menacing blade.
Annabeth looked into Percy's eyes as Kronos's sword made contact with the small of Percy's back. His expression was of utter despair and pain. They made eye contact, but the horrified blonde couldn't say anything to make things better. He saved her, like she saved him.
Everyone stopped as the young hero laid on the floor, dying.
Kronos laughed darkly. "Who's going to save Olympus now Percy Jackson? Surprised I know about your weak spot? I know of how Annabeth here stepped between you and Ethan Nakamura when he was about to penetrate your weak spot. That boy was of some use to me after all."
Percy's breathing was shallow as he tried to muster up his words. "Olympus... will never... be yours-"
Kronos laughed again. "Don't you see, Percy Jackson? It already is! You have made this all possible. Go ahead, have your last moment with your little friend. Your attempts to overcome me are useless now."
Annabeth put Percy's head in her lap and looked at him. "I-I love you, Percy. So, so much."
He mustered a smile as his expression became distant. "I love you too. I always will. And I know you can defeat Kronos. Your Annabeth Chase, aren't you?"
She could tell he was fading. "I will. I promise. Goodbye Percy."
As his last breath left his body, he went limp in her arms. She laid him gently on the floor, stepped away from his body, grabbed my dagger, and turned to face Kronos.
Kronos smirked. "You want to fight more? Well, if you insist."
Annabeth charged at him and their blades met. She felt stronger this time. He broke the hold and struck the young girl's face with his sword. She gasped and staggered back. "Luke!" She yelled with pain apparent in her voice.
"I am going to crush you, child." Kronos bellowed.
"You won't," She said. "You promised. You're holding Kronos back even now! You can overcome him!"
"LIES!" Kronos pushed Annabeth back, but she stood my ground.
"Look at me, Luke! Please!" She yelled desperately. "Family, Luke. You promised."
He stared at her face, and staggered. "Promise."
Kronos suddenly gasped, as if he was unable to get air. "Annabeth..." But it wasn't his voice, It was Luke's. The Luke she knew. He stumbled forward like he couldn't control his own body. "You're bleeding..."
"Luke!" She gasped, breathlessly. He was getting through! "It's okay, I'm fine!
"No, he's changing. He's almost ready, and he won't need my body anymore." He struggled with Kronos, raging inside of him. "Please Annabeth."
What was Annabeth supposed to do? She wasn't the hero, like Percy. She was not supposed to kill Kronos.
"I must be killed. Kronos must be destroyed. There is no more hope for me. This is the only way!" Luke pleaded desperately.
She now realized what she had to do. "Take the blade." She grasped her dagger and, without hesitation, handed it over to Luke.
Grover yelped. "Annabeth? Are you crazy? You're going to die too!"
If that was so, at least she would be with Percy.
Luke unlatched the side straps of his armor, exposing a small bit of his skin just under his left arm, a place that would be very hard to hit. With difficulty, he stabbed himself...
Annabeth gasped as the memory left her. She started to get up but as she looked up, she saw feet, legs, a torso...
No. It couldn't be.
"P-Percy?" Annabeth whispered, with a little hysteria to her voice.
Percy simply held out his hand. She accepted it, staring intently at this so called Percy. "Is this for real?"
Percy smiled. "You're having a dream, Annabeth. I just thought you needed to see me one last time. This isn't exactly like Nico's 'dead raising' but it's just as good. It took a lot of begging but-" Percy was cut off from the bear hug she had suddenly just given him.
"How could you leave me? I'm so lost and alone without you..." Annabeth cried as she buried her face in Percy's shoulder.
"I know. I should have been more careful. But that doesn't mean you have to live your life being depressed. You have so much life ahead of you. Don't let me keep you from being happy," He released her and looked into her eyes.
Annabeth smiled. "You saved Olympus, and you aren't even there to celebrate."
"That's true, but you can celebrate. Don't let me hold you back." He said.
"Do you have to leave now?" She said, frowning.
"I'm afraid so, but that doesn't mean I'm gone. I will always be with you, no matter what.
"I will always love you, Percy Jackson."
"I love you too, Annabeth Chase." Percy took her face in his hands and connected his lips to hers. She responded eagerly, but it seemed only to last a second.
"Goodbye," Percy whispered, as the dream faded away.
"Goodbye..." She whispered.
Annabeth opened her eyes, and saw... Grover. It was dark, but she could see his face.
Grover looked puzzled. "Goodbye? I just got here. Were you dreaming?"
Annabeth got up and brushed herself off. "Oh, it's nothing. I'll tell you about it later."
And for the first time since Percy's death, Annabeth laughed.
REVIEW!
And tell me if you like it! If this story actually happened i would be so sad and i would find a way to go back in time! Hm... not a bad idea for a story...